Never Spring

What I Die For

The building passed me by as I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Soon I was back on the ground floor where I screamed at Jack: "Run! Something is right behind me!"

He didn't move, didn't look up. I slowed for a moment but sped up again before I managed to catch what he was hunching over at the floor.

A howl as piercing as needles followed me as I ran, leaving the asylum behind.
My mind was racing. They were right behind me, cackling and calling my name.

"Joooaan..."
I didn't know what they were... Something unnatural, stealing light from around them and appearing darker than the night's embrace.
I didn't feel my legs as I ran opposite of my home, away from all I loved.

"No need to run."
A shriek reached me.
They didn't stop for anyone I passed by which both terrified and calmed me.
If they catch me I'm the only one who will get hurt.

Uncle led me down this road before, to church on Sundays, and I leaped over it's threshold, falling to my stomach.
I didn't feel it.
I got up and looked at myself, everything seemed normal.

A blood-chilling call disturbed me and caught my attention.
I stood now, looking directly at them.
Shades in humanoid shapes, with glowing eyes like predator's, reflecting the moonlight.

I shook and backed away another step, they didn't seem ready to follow.
Maybe I made the right call. The house of God stopped them.

"All that lives must die you know?" Man-shaped Shade spoke to me in a soothing voice.
"And we are owed one life in exchange for the one ended before its time." a sing-song voice lulled me with a gentle whisper.
"One has to join." to the front came a hulking figure that stretched, almost reaching my feet.

They too changed, like the asylum starting to rebuild, the darkness around them softened.
Soon kind faces looked at me from the church's threshold.
They looked like my mother, father, an elder pair I never met but shared my features.

"I don't understand..." if they are who they look to be why did my mom urge me to run?
"Are you spirits? Ghosts of my family?"
"We are you. Parts of you who you yearn deep down to join."

I shivered, the kind eyes blinding me to what they were just moments ago.
"Why did you tell me to run? You are here now." I held the pair of green eyes.
"Darling I said no such thing." her arm beckoned me outside. "Come watch the sky with us, the stars are out."

"This is not real." I backed further away into the church, almost reaching  the basins with holy water.

"Clever girl. It is alright, we will go back. There is another life to be claimed as is just. It was she who killed me, not you who crossed my path so unexpectedly." the face of my mother twisted in a horrible, toothy grin as I reached behind, scooping handfuls of holy water and threw it before me.

Its droplets passed right through them.
They laughed, and to my horror, crossed the threshold. They now stood close enough to touch.

My knees buckled and I fell to the ground, feeling dizzy.

"What..." I summoned all my courage. "What will you do to Auntie?"
"Take her light away as she did my wife, her own sister." a vision of my father spoke up.

"But! She is pregnant! You would be taking three lives, you can't do that!" I found my voice again as they started to glide away.

"It matters little to us." a cacophony of sounds was left behind them.

"No!" I got to my feet and chased after them.

"Maybe we will take your friend instead. Ones like him keep souls hopeful they could get in touch with their families... It's quite bothersome."

They were speeding away and I ran after them now.

My family... My living family needed me. Jack needed me.
We were almost at the ruined asylum again.

Now I saw it. My body on the floor and Jack's mother performing cpr on me.
The Shades were only dark silhouettes once again.

I suddenly understood. The picture I was led to draw in chalk, the muffled voices I heard here, helping hands that led to this moment.

My mother's spirit was there too. Sitting by my body's side, holding my hand which I couldn't feel.

"Take me then! Take me!" I called after the Shades.

They turned their ghastly eyes on me.
"My Auntie lives, my cousins live, Jack lives!" I demanded.

They surrounded me as one, unit all I saw was the dark void they were.